Trans swap
- Thread starter 1305leo
- Start date
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
what the heck are you trying to do?
the LS engine computer isn't going to be happy with all this swapping around you're doing.
the LS engine computer isn't going to be happy with all this swapping around you're doing.
fastmark1993
Dedicated LVC Member
no
fastmark1993
Dedicated LVC Member
buy a manual ls then.
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
no manual v8.
fastmark1993
Dedicated LVC Member
i aint that dumb :lol:
oddball
Dedicated LVC Member
No one around here has worked on such a swap - you'll probably be forging a new path.
Amongst the unique problems:
1) Computer flash: there's not a lot of tuner interest in these cars, so no one advertises being able to flash a v8 pcm to support a manual. I'd recommend contacting Torrie at Fast Parts Network as he seems to be the most active LS tuner around.
2) Driveshaft. The LS has a funky two piece driveshaft, so finding a tranny with a very similar overall length is important
3) Flywheel. Several owners of manuals have noted that it's almost impossible to buy a new flywheel.
Other than that, the tranny is either a 5r55N for gen 1 or 5r55S for Gen 2. Start hunting around for swaps of those trannies done on other cars. The N was not very widely used, so hopefully you have a Gen 2.
You're probably best buying BOTH a manual and an auto LS and making the frankenstein combo. That's a lot of work for the interesting, but not all that powerful AJ V8. It'd probably be much more effective to buy a manual LS then swap in a different engine, including all the unique problems that involves.
Amongst the unique problems:
1) Computer flash: there's not a lot of tuner interest in these cars, so no one advertises being able to flash a v8 pcm to support a manual. I'd recommend contacting Torrie at Fast Parts Network as he seems to be the most active LS tuner around.
2) Driveshaft. The LS has a funky two piece driveshaft, so finding a tranny with a very similar overall length is important
3) Flywheel. Several owners of manuals have noted that it's almost impossible to buy a new flywheel.
Other than that, the tranny is either a 5r55N for gen 1 or 5r55S for Gen 2. Start hunting around for swaps of those trannies done on other cars. The N was not very widely used, so hopefully you have a Gen 2.
You're probably best buying BOTH a manual and an auto LS and making the frankenstein combo. That's a lot of work for the interesting, but not all that powerful AJ V8. It'd probably be much more effective to buy a manual LS then swap in a different engine, including all the unique problems that involves.
chris2523
93 Mark VIII
Mechanicboy
Dedicated LVC Member
The Aston martin v8 vantage I believe has the same bolt pattern as the AJ-V8 as it's based off the AJ-V8. However, IIRC that car uses a rear mounted transmission, I could be wrong though.
Mechanicboy
Dedicated LVC Member
Good luck. I'd say your best bet is to have a custom transmission housing made that bolts between the AJ-V8 bolt pattern and a really common 6 speed manual like the tremec t6060 or borg-warner t56. If/When my transmission fails I'm considering doing this on my v6. Find out if the clutch on the v8 vantage is bolted to the engine or is back where I think the transmission is. You might be able to use the flywheel if it's bolted to the engine and maybe the clutch too.
OhTreeLS
Active LVC Member
I have thought about this project a lot, but always come to road blocks with certain parts of the swap. I'll share a few ideas I have wondered about.
Have you ruled out having an adapter plate made to mate a more common and stronger tranny to the block? Advanceadapters.com creates conversion kits for other vehicles. Given their experience, they might be able to supply you information or actual materials for adapting a different transmission to an AJ engine. Who knows, they could probably custom fabricate one given they had a car to work with or a template of the bolt pattern.
I'm not sure what you would do about a flywheel, however. Maybe one from an S-Type could be used in some way. Pilot bearing I'm unsure about as well. Depending on the yoke design, you might be able to modify a driveshaft from an S197 Mustang to fit.
FAST makes a TCU that you might be able to use to control the transmission. I'm unsure if that can work in conjunction with the factory PCM or how it could be made to work.
With enough resources and money, you can do anything, though. If I ever do something like this, I'd like to find a wrecked donor vehicle with the drive train I want and transplant that in along with all wiring.
Have you ruled out having an adapter plate made to mate a more common and stronger tranny to the block? Advanceadapters.com creates conversion kits for other vehicles. Given their experience, they might be able to supply you information or actual materials for adapting a different transmission to an AJ engine. Who knows, they could probably custom fabricate one given they had a car to work with or a template of the bolt pattern.
I'm not sure what you would do about a flywheel, however. Maybe one from an S-Type could be used in some way. Pilot bearing I'm unsure about as well. Depending on the yoke design, you might be able to modify a driveshaft from an S197 Mustang to fit.
FAST makes a TCU that you might be able to use to control the transmission. I'm unsure if that can work in conjunction with the factory PCM or how it could be made to work.
With enough resources and money, you can do anything, though. If I ever do something like this, I'd like to find a wrecked donor vehicle with the drive train I want and transplant that in along with all wiring.
cammerfe
Dedicated LVC Member
Be a Hot-Rodder, not a would-be 'bolter-onner'
When I looked into this part of the hop-up process, I determined that the missing pieces were the flywheel and the bell housing. And the answers were to be found in the hot rod aftermarket. You could easily order a flywheel of the proper diameter, and either have it bored for the crank pattern, or even order it without holes and have a machine shop do the drilling.
Quick Time Performance makes 'scatter shield' bell housings. They have one cataloged that's the proper size and, again, it's only necessary to have it drilled to match the bolt pattern of the block. If you were to decide to go this route, I have a template of the block bolt pattern. I'd be happy to share.
There are a dozen or more choices of transmission that would be applicable, from something like a Tremec to a full-on Lenco, and having a driveshaft custom made is as simple as doing some measurements and picking up the 'phone.
KS
When I looked into this part of the hop-up process, I determined that the missing pieces were the flywheel and the bell housing. And the answers were to be found in the hot rod aftermarket. You could easily order a flywheel of the proper diameter, and either have it bored for the crank pattern, or even order it without holes and have a machine shop do the drilling.
Quick Time Performance makes 'scatter shield' bell housings. They have one cataloged that's the proper size and, again, it's only necessary to have it drilled to match the bolt pattern of the block. If you were to decide to go this route, I have a template of the block bolt pattern. I'd be happy to share.
There are a dozen or more choices of transmission that would be applicable, from something like a Tremec to a full-on Lenco, and having a driveshaft custom made is as simple as doing some measurements and picking up the 'phone.
KS